Ch.124. Have You Never Read a Romance Novel Before? (3)

“Where do you think you’re going at this late hour?”

“?!”

Just as I launched myself out the window.

A voice came from the garden in front of the house, as if someone had been waiting for me.

“……”

As my feet touched the ground, my mother, dressed in simple attire, fixed her gaze on me.

Her dark, sunken eyes, illuminated by a small lamp, looked eerily grim.

“Going out for another night of fun?”

“……”

“Why don’t you answer?”

My excited mood was instantly thrown to the ground.

“I’ve been pretending not to notice because Rueld asked me to… but things are different now. Kariel. You are now the Crown Princess’s betrothed.”

“…We haven’t even held the engagement ceremony yet.”

“The moment His Majesty publicly announced it, it became official.”

In that brief moment, my mouth went completely dry.

“There are unsavory rumors circulating.”

“I—”

“I know. At least that you haven’t crossed the final line.”

But.

“The world’s eyes see differently. Even the smallest flaw cannot be tolerated anymore. That’s what I’m saying.”

“……”

“Because you are the son of Rueld and me.”

I almost bit my tongue involuntarily.

I clenched my teeth hard.

My breathing became irregular, but I bowed my head as much as possible to suppress my agitation.

“And I hear you showed a careless attitude during your swordsmanship lessons. What’s that about?”

She knows about that too?

No, how does she keep track of these things while ignoring what actually matters?

“……”

“Answer me. How long do you plan to stay silent? Do you think that will solve anything?”

“I thought it was… meaningless.”

“Meaning…less? What did you just say?”

Normally.

I would never, ever have shown such an emotional excuse…

No, direct words? Rebellion?

Anyway, I wouldn’t have displayed such an attitude so bluntly.

But somehow.

I just couldn’t hold back.

Besides, I’m right, aren’t I?

*Screech*

“What could be more foolish and inefficient than clinging to something that’s impossible?”

“……”

She seemed at a loss for words, blinking in bewilderment for a while.

“Is that… your excuse?”

“Do you really think it’s an excuse?”

“Then what is this unacceptable attitude?!”

As soon as she raised her voice—

“M-My Lady! Please calm yourself! Agitation is not good for the baby!”

A woman approached anxiously and barely managed to restrain her.

‘Patina?’

The woman who had become a member of the knightly order led by my father at the youngest age ever.

The Golden Dragon.

Contrary to her alias, she was wearing a black uniform, and for some reason, she was here.

“……”

Stroking her swollen belly, Ermina took a few short breaths.

In just seconds, she regained her composure.

“I showed an unseemly side of myself.”

“N-Not at all, Lady Ermina. How could you say…”

Then Patina glared at me.

“I will have a word with the young master. So… don’t worry, come now! Let’s go inside. Quickly.”

“But…”

“Lady Ermina. Please trust me.”

“Haah.”

With a sigh, Ermina reluctantly entered the house.

She cast one last lingering glance at Kariel, but even that was cut off as the door closed.

“Young master. It’s been a while.”

“……”

Her light brown hair, buried in darkness, appeared pitch black.

When touched by moonlight, it transformed to a snow-white color, just like my father’s.

It was all an optical illusion.

But within that illusion, her distinctly bluish-green eyes, like leaves burned by sunlight, were staring at me intensely.

“I’m disappointed.”

“…?”

What?

“No matter what others said, I tried not to listen or believe it. But why have you become so arrogant and disrespectful?”

“…Sister. It seems your personality has soured a bit since I last saw you.”

Just as she was about to gasp in shock, she instead let out a bitter smile.

“At least… you still call me ‘sister.’ If you had forgotten even that, it would have been… very difficult for me to bear.”

“……”

My chest ached for no reason.

It wasn’t like the shock of my heart dropping to the floor, but in a different sense… something beyond a stomachache, like my insides were collapsing.

It was difficult to put into words.

“Lord Rueld asked me to keep an eye on Lady Ermina and… you, Kariel, if I had the chance.”

“……”

What a pointless thing to do.

No, it’s not pointless.

Escorting my mother, I suppose that’s necessary.

But then, is this current situation also following its natural course?

“……”

So what am I supposed to do?

Why should I care about all of this?

“What kind of attitude is that toward the Lady?”

“…You’ve been away for a while and don’t know the situation, so let’s leave it at that.”

“What don’t I know? Isn’t everything crystal clear?”

“Crystal clear?”

Why are you meddling without knowing the full story?

‘Haah….’

Yes.

Rationally, objectively speaking… it must have looked like a rebellious son talking back to his sensitive, pregnant mother.

Ah, now I have nothing to say.

This makes me look like the villain, doesn’t it?

Her words, Patina’s words, only reinforced my guilt.

“You’ve even given up on making excuses. To think that you, so wise, would abandon even the attempt to make others understand. Should I just accept that you fully understand your wrongdoing?”

“Ha!”

This damn…

Still, I couldn’t bring myself to curse out loud.

“Young master. You promised me.”

Together.

“…That we would succeed Lord Rueld and help ease some of his burden and toil.”

“……”

Did I?

When was that?

Ah, I don’t want to think about it.

If I had remembered it involuntarily, that would have been a curse in itself.

But unfortunately.

Coincidentally.

…I couldn’t remember anything at all.

“Have you… forgotten?”

Why are you making that face?

Why…

As if you’re the one who’s been betrayed?

If anyone’s been betrayed by the world, it’s me.

“I see.”

The progression from anger to resignation is too smooth.

It’s as if.

She had expectations for me but had already given up on those expectations long ago.

But just in case.

Just in case.

“I was the only one trying hard. How foolish of me.”

“……”

“Until rumors spread that you had even given up holding a sword, I tried not to believe it.”

Young master.

No, Kariel.

“You really… now…”

“Why are you disappointed on your own?”

If it had been before.

If it had been normal, surely.

I would have.

Said nothing, let her misunderstand on her own, let her be disappointed on her own, let her resign herself, and then tell her to get lost.

Grumbling inside, muttering to myself.

Like that.

Staring at the ground as if trying to bore a hole through it, enduring as time rotted away, and continuing to long for it all to end.

====

Well, well!

Talk about hitting the jackpot!

I was just thinking I needed some practical experience, and here it comes.

‘That one attracts trouble just by breathing.’

Well… being born into misfortune was already a given from the moment he got involved with me.

Normally he would have crumpled like a social outcast after getting an earful, but he actually talked back to Ermina.

I wonder what would have happened if it had ended there, but the situation has become even more interesting.

The Demon Lord positioned himself high in the sky, out of Kariel’s sight.

Being condemned and resented by a woman he has a connection with, until he finally can’t stand it anymore, rebels, and talks back.

“Pick up your sword. I’ll fix that mindset of yours properly!”

“Why should I? Aren’t knights supposed to protect the weak? Or can’t you properly convey your opinion without resorting to violence?”

“Your words are smooth enough. But in the end, who’s the one cowering in fear and putting on airs?”

How rigid.

That woman was looking at Kariel with anger.

And that anger…

‘He betrayed my expectations. He broke his promise. No, he even forgot about it!’

It was clearly conveyed in that way, with a sense of betrayal added to it.

In this case, Kariel must be going crazy as himself.

‘Why do you expect things on your own, why are you disappointed on your own.’

Truly, even if they crossed paths, they would miss each other, and even if they got entangled, they would never mix.

A mess!

A quagmire!

-Heheheh!

Lazily watching someone else’s misfortune from a distance is always enjoyable.

Kariel finally gives in to the provocation after holding back.

Following the woman in uniform, he heads to the open space behind the house, to the outdoor training ground.

The two face each other, wooden swords in hand.

-Learn for yourself what has changed.

And also.

-…What is needed.

Originally, necessity is something you only truly feel when you experience a situation where it’s needed.

Those who are full and satiated.

At any time, find it difficult to truly feel the necessity of food for survival.

-Still, it’s fortunate that he’s regained some confidence to talk back. A slave mentality or defeatism is hard to wash away once it sets in.

Though it may be a small step for some.

It is clearly a necessary process.